Dispensing closure for collapsible tubes



Nov. 7, 1950 H. 'w. BEACH 2,528,993

DISPENSING CLOSURE FOR COLLAPSI BLE TUBES Filed Feb. 11. 1949 InventorHarold W. Beach y MM m Patented Nov. 7, 1950 UNITED STATESFATENT OFFICEDISPENSING CLOSURE FOR COLLAPSIBLE TUBES This invention relates to newand useful improvements and structural refinements in dispensingclosures, and the principal object of the 1 Claim. (Cl. 222492)invention is to provide a closure of this nature v which is particularlywell adapted for use in association with a collapsible tube containingtooth paste, shaving cream, etc., an important feature of the inventionresiding in the arrangement of the closure in such manner that it isautomatically opened when the tube is being collapsed and isautomatically closed as soon as collapsing pressure on the tube ceasesto be exerted.

Some of the advantages of the invention lie in its simplicity ofconstruction, in its adaptability to economical manufacture, and in itsability to protect the contents of the collapsible tube from harmfuleffects of the atmosphere.

With the above more important objects and features in view and suchother objects and features as may become apparent as this specificationproceeds, the invention consists essentially in the construction andarrangement of parts as shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of a collapsible tube showing theinvention in situ thereon;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view, taken substantially inthe plane of the line 2 2 in Figure 1 and illustrating the invention inits closed position;

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view, similar to that illustrated inFigure 2, but showing the invention in its open position; and

Figure 4 is a group perspective view of a plunger and a spring used inthe invention.

Like characters of reference are employed to designate like parts in thespecification and throughout the several views.

Referring now. to the-accompanying drawings in detail, the generalreference character ID designates a conventional collapsible tubeprovided with an externall screw-threaded outlet neck 12, the inventionconsisting of a dispensing closure designated generally by the referencecharacter M which is intended to be positioned on the neck [2 in placeof the conventional cap or top with which the collapsible tube iscustomarily provided.

The closure I4 embodies in its construction a cap-shaped body I6 formedwith an axial bore it, one end portion of this bore being screwthreaded, as at 20, to receive the neck I2 of the tube ID, as will beclearly apparent.

A cylindrical closure member of plunger 22, equipped with adiametrically enlarged head 2 is slidable in the bore I8 from aretracted position shown in Figures 1 and 2 to a projected positionillustrated in Figure 3, the plunger constituting a closure for the borewhen it is in its retracted position, as will be clearly apparent.Needless to say, the enlarged head 2 of the plunger not only assists inclosing thebore 18 when the plunger is retracted, but also functions asa stop to prevent the plunger from being retracted too far into thebore.

The plunger 22 is provided with a passage 26 which is in communicationwith the bore l8 and is open at diametrically opposite sides of theplunger, as is best shown in Figure 4. The passage 26 terminates in anoutlet opening 28 which merely constitutes a continuation of one of theopen sides of the passage 26, the opening 28 being disposed at one sideof that portion of the plunger which is outside of the bod [6 when theplunger is in its projected position as shown in Figure 3.

In other words, assuming the device to be in the closed position asshown in Figure 2, when pressure is exerted on the tube to collapse thesame, the contents of the tube will flow outwardly through the neck i2into the passage iii of the body it and will exert pressure on theinside end surface 30 of the plunger head 24, which pressure will expelthe plunger 22 to its projected position, as shown in Figure 3, so thatthe contents of the tube H! are discharged outwardly from the body I6through the opening 28, as indicated at 32.

However, means are provided for returning the plunger 22 to itsretracted position as soon as external pressure ceases to be exerted onthe tube It, these means involving the provision of a resilient wire rodor spring 3 1 which is best illustrated in the lower portion of Figure4.

The spring 34 consists of two spaced side portions 36 which areconnected together by an intermediate portion 38, the side portions 36being formed with outward arcuations or detents 40, the extensions ofwhich, in turn, constitute a pair of crossed end portions 22 terminatingin arouate loops or eyes 44.

The spring 34 is positioned in the bore [8 as indicated in Figures 2 and3, having the intermediate portion 38 thereof extending transverse- 1yof the passage 26 of the plunger 22, while the arcuations of this springare seated in an annular groove formed intermediate the length of thebore [8 for the purpose of preventing the spring from shifting upwardlyor outwardly from the bore. The crossed end portions 42 of the springengage or bear against a cross piece 48 which extends transversely ofthe passage 28 in the plunger 22, whereby the plunger is urged in thedirection of the arrow 58 in Figure 3 to its retracted positionillustrated in Figure 2.

It should be explained that in Figure 4 the spring 34 is illustratedwith the crossed end portions 42 extending downwardly, which positionthe end portions normally occupy before the spring is installed in thebody l6. However, when the spring is installed in the body, the endportions 42 extend upwardly in crossed relation as shown, so that theirresiliency is substantially increased. The spring 34 is, of course,sufficiently weak to allow the plunger 22 to be projected when externalpressure is applied to the tube II], but the spring is sufficientlystrong to automatically return the plunger to its retracted position assoon as application of external pressure to the tube II] isdiscontinued.

It is believed that the advantages and use of the invention will beclearly apparent from the foregoing disclosure, and accordingly, further4 the body to said groove, a hollow cylindrical closure member slidablein the upper portion of said bore and having open opposite sides atleast one of which afiords a lateral outlet passage when said member isprojected upwardly from the bore, a cross-piece provided in the lowerend'of said member, and combined means for sliding said memberdownwardly and preventing upward withdrawal thereof from said bore, saidmeans comprising a single length of resilient wire angulated to providean inverted U-shaped body portion and a pair of crossed inwardlyextending arms terminating in free extremities, said U- shaped bodyportion including a bight region extending transversely of said closuremember above said cross-piece, and a pair of laterally projectingdetents provided on said wire at the junctionsof said U-shaped bodyportion with said arms, said detents being seated in said groove.

description thereof at this point is deemed unnecessary.

Having described the invention, what i claimed as new is:

A dispensing closure comprising a vertically elongated body having anaxial bore and an annular groove disposed intermediate the ends of saidbore, said body being provided in said bore with a pair of diametricallyopposite channels extending longitudinally from the upper end of HAROLDW. BEACH.

REFERENCES orrnn The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name 7 Date 1,370,739 Gay Mar. 8, 19211,753,239 Fox Apr. 8, 1930 1,941,727

